The City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, planted 11,288 trees within the city limits, from fall of 2020 to fall of 2023. They planted 41 species of trees, primarily in right of ways, with a majority including Kentucky coffeetree, Elm, Hackberry, Honeylocust, and River birch species. The overall project goals are to increase canopy cover, mitigate urban heat islands, increase carbon sequestration, increase native and adapted tree species, and to capture stormwater and particulate air pollution. Carbon credit revenue will be reinvested into future tree planting and maintenance efforts in the City of Saint Paul.

This is the first carbon project partnership between Green Cities Accord (formerly Green Minneapolis) and the City of Saint Paul and demonstrates a concerted effort to address environmental issues. This project aligns with broader sustainability and climate action goals as it is apart of Green Minneapolis’ Twin Cities Climate Resiliency Initiative, a public/private partnership focused on significantly expanding the urban tree canopy across Minneapolis and the seven county Twin Cities metropolitan area. Designed to address the most harmful impacts of climate change on the region’s residents, it is a 20-year vision to increase the Metro area’s tree canopy by 30% through planting and maintaining millions of additional trees on public and private lands. This initiative includes identifying new funding sources for tree planting and maintenance, including establishing Minnesota’s first urban tree carbon offset program.

Total Credits Issued: 2,976

• 2024: 2,976 credits issued

Total Credits Sold: 177

• 2024: 177 credits sold

Total Credits Retired: 177

• 2024: 177 credits retired

Total Credits Cancelled: 0

Total Credits Available for Purchase: 2,799

Co-Benefits

Trees planted as part of this project will provide ecosystem services, also known as co-benefits, when they reach 25 years old. The co-benefits represent a savings (avoided costs) of $1,024,475 per year when the trees reach age 25, and $26,636,340 over the next 25 to 50 years.

• Rain interception (stormwater management) – 75,615 m3/year, $541,331 per year
• Air quality – 2.2851 tons/year, $10,443 per year
• Energy use – cooling (electricity) – 2,205,871 kWh/year, $167,426 per year
• Energy use – heating (natural gas) – 31,359,410 kBtu/year, $305,275 per year

Social Impacts

The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an urgent call for action and global partnership among all countries, representing key benchmarks for creating a better world and environment for everyone. Well-designed and managed urban forests make significant contributions to the environmental sustainability, economic viability and livability of cities. The main SDGs for this project are described below, with more detailed information in the Project Design Document.

Project trees were planted throughout the city of Saint Paul to reduce air pollution, reduce the urban heat island effect, and improve stormwater runoff rates.

This project planted trees specifically in areas of limited tree coverage that have a high correlation with areas of concentrated
poverty. These areas display the highest vulnerability to impacts from climate change and are in need of assistance in greening projects.

Most trees were planted as street trees and will shade homes and buildings, reducing heating and cooling costs over time. These trees also increase the stormwater infiltration rate of the urban soils and habitat diversity throughout the city.